After numerous complaints, IMPD is cracking down on drug dealing around Monument Circle

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INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Indianapolis police are looking to crack down on drug dealing around Monument Circle.

Police reports show officers have made several arrests this week of suspects dealing and using synthetic marijuana on the circle.

Business owners say they have definitely seen an increased police presence the last couple of weeks and say it’s welcome news that follow months of complaints about illegal activity.

“We don’t want drug dealing down here, so it’s nice that it is getting cleaned up,” said business manager Danielle Cooney.

One of those alleged drugs deals took place Thursday outside Starbucks, next to Danielle’s soup shop.

According to the affidavit, an undercover officer watched a pair of suspects, Brionna Mccloud and Terry Pinkston, exchange and then smoke synthetic marijuana on the sidewalk.

A second affidavit from Wednesday details a second undercover bust where three people, James Ferguson, David Jones and Kelly Roberts, were arrested and accused of dealing and using synthetic marijuana.

Employees around the circle praised those arrests.

“Some of the people we were routinely seeing all day every day, we are not seeing anymore. The bad characters and the people that were dealing the drugs and causing the problems,” said Cooney.

This week, the city-county council introduced an ordinance that would prohibit sitting or lying on downtown streets or sidewalks. Business owners say their concern is not the homeless, but the drug dealing and they say cleaning up the circle is important to protect the city’s image.

“I mean if you’ve got somebody in town visiting and they see that stuff, do you think they want to come back?” said downtown employee Mike Israel.

“I think the cleanup is great. It makes my employees feel safer and all the tourists that we have feel safer,” said Cooney.